Venice Gondoliers 1975

LeRoy Neiman captured Venice Gondoliers with paint, and a whole lot of energy. The painting just vibrates with colour and movement, doesn't it? Neiman really goes for it, smearing and slashing paint across the surface, leaving a thick, almost sculptural texture. Look at those gondolas, each one a flurry of bright yellows and pinks, somehow capturing the glitz and romance of the place. The buildings are alive too, not solid, but kind of dripping with atmosphere. My eye keeps going back to the way he's used blues and greens to create the water. There's this sense of depth and reflection, but it's all done with these bold, confident strokes. Neiman reminds me a bit of someone like Joan Mitchell in the way he uses colour to express pure feeling. There's a sense of freedom and improvisation, like he's not afraid to let the painting lead the way. Ultimately, he’s letting us know that, in art, perfection is the enemy of expression.